Ireland created history over the weekend as they competed in a World Rugby Women's Sevens Series semi-final for the first time.

Their remarkable run was eventually brought to an end by hosts Australia, who ran out 24-12 winners.

That left Ireland in a Bronze final, which they also came up just short in, losing 26-10 to USA, but that should not detract from the remarkable progress that they are making among the world's best teams.

Amee Leigh Murphy-Crowe was once again in sensational try-scoring form as she took her tally to 18 tries in 17 World Series games.

Eve Higgins (19) also impressed and she secured a place in the end of tournament Dream Team along with skipper Lucy Mulhall.

"It means a lot (to get through to the semi-finals)," Mulhall said. "We've worked really hard the last couple of years, as has every team. We came here this weekend, we wanted to do it for the girls at home.

"We have a really good bond between us as a squad and we've been working really hard together.

"So just as much as it's for the 12 of us here and Katie Heffernan, the 13th man, it's also for all the girls at home awake in their beds watching this in the early hours of the morning."

The Sevens Series continues with round four at the Mikuni World Stadium in Kitakyushu, Japan, on April 20-21.